Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Ms Jones: As a resident and business owner in West Philadelphia, I urge you to ignore the wailing of the people who value a few stretches of Belgian blocks -- many in a condition that the Historical Commission classifies as of low integrity anyway -- over the needs of the people of West Philadelphia. The blocks are hazards to safety when driving, as well as causes of damage to the springs and shock absorbers of automobiles that pass over them. More than this, as you know, SEPTA is in dire financial straits and owes it to the people who depend on public transit to upgrade its infrastructure in a manner that will minimize long-term maintenance costs. Preserving a stretch or two of Belgian blocks that is hardly a tourist attraction or a destination for middle-school field trips, notwithstanding Historical Commission designation as something (nobody ever heard of) called a Historic Pavement Thematic District, is too high a price to pay for the people who use the roads and -- especially -- the West Philadelphia trolleys. Al's right There's no reason to force cars to slow down on Chester Avenue. It's not as if people are bringing children or dogs between two sections of a _heavily-used urban park_ or anything. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
Al's right There's no reason to force cars to slow down on Chester Avenue. It's not as if people are bringing children or dogs between two sections of a _heavily-used urban park_ or anything. I can see Al's concerns and your concerns as orthogonal, even though they both involve the belgian blocks to a degree. The quote you included from Al mentioned nothing about forcing cars to slow down. You might wish to begin your argument with I believe belgian blocks help to slow down traffic, which is a cause for concern among many parents and dog-owners alike. Framing your argument in this way (as an example), gives the opportunity for people to respond with perhaps other ways of mitigating traffic flow which do not involve belgian block. Even though Al does a disservice to his discourse by calling people's comlaints wailing, he does appear to target two specific issues: the current belgian blocks cause damage to motor vehicles, and the higher cost associated with keeping the belgian blocks, which must be shared by Septa and tax payers. (I am not stating these as facts, merely as Al's talking points) It would be useful to either debate him on those points directly, or start a new thread to discuss the mitigation of traffic flow, but it only confuses the conversation when different issues are confounded. Because I and my son use the park, I am concerned about safety in and around the park. I personally do not think of the belgian blocks as safety enhancements, but perhaps someone has statistics showing that they indeed mitigate traffic. I hope there are other ways of slowing cars down that we could perhaps implement alongside existing infrastructure (whether or not the belgian blocks remain). With regards, Dan W. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
[UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
Dear Ms Jones: As a resident and business owner in West Philadelphia, I urge you to ignore the wailing of the people who value a few stretches of Belgian blocks -- many in a condition that the Historical Commission classifies as of low integrity anyway -- over the needs of the people of West Philadelphia. The blocks are hazards to safety when driving, as well as causes of damage to the springs and shock absorbers of automobiles that pass over them. More than this, as you know, SEPTA is in dire financial straits and owes it to the people who depend on public transit to upgrade its infrastructure in a manner that will minimize long-term maintenance costs. Preserving a stretch or two of Belgian blocks that is hardly a tourist attraction or a destination for middle-school field trips, notwithstanding Historical Commission designation as something (nobody ever heard of) called a Historic Pavement Thematic District, is too high a price to pay for the people who use the roads and -- especially -- the West Philadelphia trolleys. Alan Krigman KRF Management 211 S 45th St, Phila PA 19104 215-349-6500, fax 215-349-6502 on-line bulletin board: _www.iconworldwide.com/krf/news_ (http://www.iconworldwide.com/krf/news) website: _www.iconworldwide.com/krf_ (http://www.iconworldwide.com/krf) ** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
[UC] more of this week's spin
from today's inky. http://tinyurl.com/yq586j As University City expands, paradox abounds By Melissa Dribben Inquirer Staff Writer It is midday at 50th and Baltimore on the gentrification frontier. West of the intersection, a young black man walks up the double yellow lines, hawking ice water. A young white woman carrying a backpack slips through the door of a two-story apartment building. She lives above an abandoned general store. A Michael Nutter flyer from May's primary still hangs on the grate. The windows are partially covered with sun-crisped yellowed newspaper from October 2006 with the headline Report Says Minorities Still Face Housing Woes. To the east, through the arched windows of what was once a Victorian firehouse, you can see brewmasters tending the copper vats in Dock Street Brewery Restaurant. Next door, tattooed bicyclists congregate at Satellite Café. Across 50th Street, in clean, leafy Cedar Park, mothers push strollers. Two close friends of mine killed each other in this very park a few years ago, says Daniel Thomas, 28, who grew up in this neighborhood and says that, recently, it has improved dramatically. Now my kids play here. The transformation is fitful and mysterious along this iffy edge of University City in West Philadelphia. Abandoned houses and boarded-up businesses still harbor the nefarious at night. But it is also a place for loyal families, real estate gamblers, and hopeful pioneers redefining the neighborhood merely by walking its streets. This is the the edge where the real change is happening, says Bob Christian, editor of the University Weekly Review local newspaper. A conglomeration of neighborhoods, University City is as much concept as geography. Residents pride themselves on their mix of races, religions, financial situations and dietary preferences. Their attitudes toward their most influential neighbor - the University of Pennsylvania - have not always been so tolerant. Penn's critics view the school as an imperialist bully. But most homeowners and businesses credit the university for putting its muscle behind recent improvements. Working with Drexel, local politicians, neighborhood groups and businesses, Penn helped create the University City District, which has improved security and supported businesses. (It was this coalition of forces that turned Cedar Park from skeezy to lovely.) Indirectly, and unintentionally, Penn may also have spurred improvements around 50th and Baltimore. In 2002, it helped create the Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School, a new K-8 oasis of public education not very subtly designed to serve the university community. Realtors say that immediately, prices shot up an estimated $50,000 per house in the catchment area, the western border of which ends at 47th Street. Melani Lamond, a resident and area real estate broker since the 1980s, says that, increasingly, prospective buyers are looking farther west. With Dock Street opening, that was something you could tell people. All of a sudden, the 5000 block of Catharine looked pretty good. Crime in the area has been steadily declining, says Police Capt. Daniel MacDonald of the 12th District. It's so much nicer now than it was even two or three years ago. As of last week, there had been few robberies and no murders in the area around 50th and Baltimore, he said. Ten years ago, when he was a sergeant in the district, it was a lot rougher. Preparing for the evening rush less than three weeks after opening, Dock Street owner Rosemarie Certo takes a break over an espresso. Last year when Certo began looking for a new home for her restaurant and brewery, she didn't even consider University City. Driving around with a Realtor, we saw this building. It was beautiful. But I said, 50th and Baltimore? No way. She chose a spot in Mount Airy, but when the deal fell through, she gave the stone former firehouse a second look and fell in love. Members of the church across the street opposed the restaurant's zoning application, worried that it would promote drinking and damage the community. But the majority of residents thought the restaurant would be a great commercial boon and social gathering spot. So they banded together to reach out to church leaders and support Certo. The restaurant opened Aug. 20. The community worked so hard for this, says City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who supported Dock Street's move and attended the preopening party. Carol Walker, president of Cedar Park Neighbors, was at the party, too. The restaurant's arrival is a victory for the community, she says, and others are in progress. The old liquor store that supplied more derelicts than dinner parties is about to replaced by a classy one. And her group is pressing City Hall on zoning issues. Speculators are being allowed to acquire abandoned homes and break them up into multifamily rental units, although the community, she says, would rather see these
Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
If anyone wants to email Ms Jones at the Streets Dept (supporting SEPTA or the Belgian Block preservation effort), the link posted in the original announcement was wrong. It should be [EMAIL PROTECTED] (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) Always at your service ready for a dialog, Al Krigman -- 36-year local resident, housing provider, curmudgeon, and all-around crank, ** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
additional context: Original Message Subject: SEPTA Chester Avenue Track Project Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:48:57 -0400 From: B Andersen [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] CC: pfsni list [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dear Ms. Jones, I strongly urge you to force SEPTA to comply with the permit requirements for this project and to preserve as much of the Belgian block paving between the tracks as possible as required by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. SEPTA has dealt with my neighborhood in a most cavalier and inconsiderate manner by notifying us at the last hour and acting as if nothing can stand in the way of their plan for this project. Sincerely, Bruce Andersen 1108 S 46th St Apt 201 Philadelphia, PA 19143-3732 End Original Message [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Ms Jones: As a resident and business owner in West Philadelphia, I urge you to ignore the wailing of the people who value a few stretches of Belgian blocks -- many in a condition that the Historical Commission classifies as of low integrity anyway -- over the needs of the people of West Philadelphia. The blocks are hazards to safety when driving, as well as causes of damage to the springs and shock absorbers of automobiles that pass over them. More than this, as you know, SEPTA is in dire financial straits and owes it to the people who depend on public transit to upgrade its infrastructure in a manner that will minimize long-term maintenance costs. Preserving a stretch or two of Belgian blocks that is hardly a tourist attraction or a destination for middle-school field trips, notwithstanding Historical Commission designation as something (nobody ever heard of) called a Historic Pavement Thematic District, is too high a price to pay for the people who use the roads and -- especially -- the West Philadelphia trolleys. Alan Krigman KRF Management 211 S 45th St, Phila PA 19104 215-349-6500, fax 215-349-6502 on-line bulletin board: www.iconworldwide.com/krf/news http://www.iconworldwide.com/krf/news website: www.iconworldwide.com/krf http://www.iconworldwide.com/krf __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
You are so right. Those blocks are the worst. They are awful to drive on, difficult to bike on, and even sort of annoying to walk on. I don't care if they are 'historic looking' or 'charming' or whatever. They are barely functional. There is a reason that they stopped paving streets with them oh so many years ago. It's time to rip them out, pave it over, and move into the 21st Century. I hate SEPTA as much as the next person, and as a resident of Chester Ave., I am inconvenienced and annoyed by this project. However, if it will get rid of those hateful blocks, I will have something positive to cling to when this project turns into a fiasco of poor planning and low expectations, just like everything else that SEPTA touches. -Mariellen At 08:07 AM 9/28/2007, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Ms Jones: As a resident and business owner in West Philadelphia, I urge you to ignore the wailing of the people who value a few stretches of Belgian blocks -- many in a condition that the Historical Commission classifies as of low integrity anyway -- over the needs of the people of West Philadelphia. The blocks are hazards to safety when driving, as well as causes of damage to the springs and shock absorbers of automobiles that pass over them. More than this, as you know, SEPTA is in dire financial straits and owes it to the people who depend on public transit to upgrade its infrastructure in a manner that will minimize long-term maintenance costs. Preserving a stretch or two of Belgian blocks that is hardly a tourist attraction or a destination for middle-school field trips, notwithstanding Historical Commission designation as something (nobody ever heard of) called a Historic Pavement Thematic District, is too high a price to pay for the people who use the roads and -- especially -- the West Philadelphia trolleys. Alan Krigman KRF Management 211 S 45th St, Phila PA 19104 215-349-6500, fax 215-349-6502 on-line bulletin board: http://www.iconworldwide.com/krf/newswww.iconworldwide.com/krf/news website: http://www.iconworldwide.com/krfwww.iconworldwide.com/krf -- See what's new at http://www.aol.com?NCID=AOLCMP0030001170AOL.com and http://www.aol.com/mksplash.adp?NCID=AOLCMP0030001169Make AOL Your Homepage.
RE: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
Just to clarify, Loree Jones is not with the Streets Dept.; she is the Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia and the Streets Dept. and other operating departments are accountable to her. Also, I received the following post yesterday that provides some further context for Al's post and includes the incorrect email address for Ms. Jones: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please read this important message from Mike Hardy, board member of the University City Historical Society: Please send a message to Loree Jones, City Managing Director (loree [EMAIL PROTECTED]) asking that the Streets Department not issue permits regarding the proposed improvement of the Route 13 Trolley line. Construction has begun on Chester Avenue even though the appropriate permits have not been secured. This construction would be in direct violation of the Historical Commission's ruling that all the Belgian block between 41 and 49th must be restored as part of its local historical designation as part of the Philadelphia Historic Street Paving Thematic District of 1998, which placed it and other city street pavings, including 40th, 49th and Lindbergh Avenue, on the local register of historic places. Every voice is needed here, so please send in yours. ASAP!! If you have questions, please contact Mike Hardy (215 382-0365 or Roy Harker, [EMAIL PROTECTED] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Andy From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:04:16 -0400 Subject: Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave To: UnivCity@list.purple.com If anyone wants to email Ms Jones at the Streets Dept (supporting SEPTA or the Belgian Block preservation effort), the link posted in the original announcement was wrong. It should be [EMAIL PROTECTED] Always at your service ready for a dialog, Al Krigman -- 36-year local resident, housing provider, curmudgeon, and all-around crank, See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage. _ Explore the seven wonders of the world http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=7+wonders+worldmkt=en-USform=QBRE You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
Actually, even _more_ context is needed, because the Belgian Block issue is, frankly, nowhere near as important as another. The section of water runoff/sewer under Chester Avenue, between 43rd and 45th streets, is in serious need of repair. It's clogged, routinely floods, and a great deal of the damage to the street above is directly attributable to the problems underground. SEPTA has not address this important problem _at all_: they'll be repairing track on a stretch of road that's prone to floods and erosion. (Also, in their construction proposal, there doesn't seem to be any provision to prevent construction spilloff into the Bowl.) The area hasn't been repaired because of the jurisdictional conflict: the road's a state road, so SEPTA handles that, but the water runoff is handled by the Philadelphia Water Dept., I believe. And there's also coordination needed with Streets, and Rec's in this too, as there's an impact on Clark Park. (The FoCP is also concerned about the pedestrian crossings and how well it'll all integrate with the water and path issues of our Park A project.) So while SEPTA hasn't consulted properly with the city on this project, we can take this opportunity to urge cooperation between state and city agencies, and get the sewer and street and trolley tracks repaired as they should be repaired. So, if you're going to write a letter to a city representative, I would _strongly_ urge everyone all to focus on the most important issue: getting SEPTA on board towards fixing the sewer line so the street doesn't flood and collapse. We're going to need a LOT of help on this issue. You can talk about Belgian Block all you want, but this is the main issue. UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN wrote: additional context: Original Message Subject: SEPTA Chester Avenue Track Project Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:48:57 -0400 From: B Andersen [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] CC: pfsni list [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dear Ms. Jones, I strongly urge you to force SEPTA to comply with the permit requirements for this project and to preserve as much of the Belgian block paving between the tracks as possible as required by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. SEPTA has dealt with my neighborhood in a most cavalier and inconsiderate manner by notifying us at the last hour and acting as if nothing can stand in the way of their plan for this project. Sincerely, Bruce Andersen 1108 S 46th St Apt 201 Philadelphia, PA 19143-3732 End Original Message [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Ms Jones: As a resident and business owner in West Philadelphia, I urge you to ignore the wailing of the people who value a few stretches of Belgian blocks -- many in a condition that the Historical Commission classifies as of low integrity anyway -- over the needs of the people of West Philadelphia. The blocks are hazards to safety when driving, as well as causes of damage to the springs and shock absorbers of automobiles that pass over them. More than this, as you know, SEPTA is in dire financial straits and owes it to the people who depend on public transit to upgrade its infrastructure in a manner that will minimize long-term maintenance costs. Preserving a stretch or two of Belgian blocks that is hardly a tourist attraction or a destination for middle-school field trips, notwithstanding Historical Commission designation as something (nobody ever heard of) called a Historic Pavement Thematic District, is too high a price to pay for the people who use the roads and -- especially -- the West Philadelphia trolleys. Alan Krigman KRF Management 211 S 45th St, Phila PA 19104 215-349-6500, fax 215-349-6502 on-line bulletin board: www.iconworldwide.com/krf/news http://www.iconworldwide.com/krf/news website: www.iconworldwide.com/krf http://www.iconworldwide.com/krf __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
Remember this is from the guy who tears windows out of his properties and replaces them with glass block, thinks siding is great and porches are a waste of effort. Al's version of university city would eventually look like 44th and Brown. If it is of historic interest- trash it. Each block of Belgium Blocks represents a look at Philadelphia's past. The argument that the road would be easier to navigate with a SEPTA repair of concrete is made very false simply by driving down Baltimore Avenue. I think it's worse driving on that crappy concrete job than driving down Chester. Just keep a perspective on the source. On Sep 28, 2007, at 8:07 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Ms Jones: As a resident and business owner in West Philadelphia, I urge you to ignore the wailing of the people who value a few stretches of Belgian blocks -- many in a condition that the Historical Commission classifies as of low integrity anyway -- over the needs of the people of West Philadelphia. The blocks are hazards to safety when driving, as well as causes of damage to the springs and shock absorbers of automobiles that pass over them. More than this, as you know, SEPTA is in dire financial straits and owes it to the people who depend on public transit to upgrade its infrastructure in a manner that will minimize long-term maintenance costs. Preserving a stretch or two of Belgian blocks that is hardly a tourist attraction or a destination for middle- school field trips, notwithstanding Historical Commission designation as something (nobody ever heard of) called a Historic Pavement Thematic District, is too high a price to pay for the people who use the roads and -- especially -- the West Philadelphia trolleys. Alan Krigman KRF Management 211 S 45th St, Phila PA 19104 215-349-6500, fax 215-349-6502 on-line bulletin board: www.iconworldwide.com/krf/news website: www.iconworldwide.com/krf See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.
Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
In a message dated 9/28/2007 4:12:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Just keep a perspective on the source. We could keep a perspective on the source of your personal attacks -- which have nothing to do with the topic, of course -- if you'd have the decency to sign them, Mr or Ms email Chibbard, whoever you are. Or, does pobox.upenn.edu say it all? Al Krigman ** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
[UC] suitable for framing -- alternate method of delivery
I posted a message with a good (scanned) attached copy of the infamous business card showing Lt John McCurdy of the Philadelphia Police Dept to be a flunky of UCD.The post didn't seem to get through. And, no, I won't assume it was a plot by the anointed to censor my contributions to the common weal. If anyone wants a copy emailed to them close-up-and-personal, so you can print it out in a form suitable for framing, or maybe use it as wallpaper on your computer, email me off-list and I'll reply with it. In the meantime, if anyone knows whether Lt John McCurdy has to salute Wendell Lewis, or if a hi, howzitgoing is enough, please advise. Al Krigman Left of Ivan Grozny PS: This offer is not available in stores. ** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to?
I believe that a number of members of Penn’s police force are also Philadelphia police officers Those beliefs and suspicions are incorrect. Police officers cannot work for two different police departments at the same time. Penn Police and the Philadelphia Police are two separate police departments. They have overlapping jurisdictions insofar as the Penn Police patrol area falls within the Phila. Police Dept's 18th District. Sharing the same patrol area does not mean that the two departments are one and the same. The Lieutenant in question has one job title, that of being a Lieutenant of the Philadelphia Police Department. He is an Officer employed by the City of Philadelphia. He is detailed to a Philadelphia Police substation on premises donated by the University City District. This arrangement is similar to the former Police Substation at 50th and Baltimore donated by the then-operater of the Firehouse Farmer's Market [now Dock Street] and paid for by Cedar Park Neighbors, and the current Squirrel Hill Substation operated at 46th and Chester. Although private and community entities provided the money and premises in order for the substations to operate, no one dared suggest that doing so made the Police Officers detailed to those substations the employees or subordinates of those non-police entities. Being detailed to the substation donated by UCD does not make the Lieutenant an employee of the University City District, any more than being detailed to the sports complex would make him an employee of the Eagles or the Phillies. It is deceitful of UCD and demeaning to the Lieutenant to make it appear that the Lieutenant is subordinate to UCD administration, rather than being the Commander of a Philadelphia Police Substation that happens to be supplied by UCD. He is responsible to the Philadelphia Police chain of command, not to Lewis Wendell or UCD. It is a deliberate blurring of authority that further creates the impression that UCD is a governmental entity in and of itself, with authority over everything in this area, including the duly sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police Department. Karen Allen From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to?Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:57:27 -0400 I believe that a number of members of Penn’s police force are also Philadelphia police officers. I suspect that they are clear on the lines of authority, that card notwithstanding. Presumably the officer in question has two job titles, and chose the more impressive of the two to put on the card. I think this is a long standing arrangement, and presumably the University and the Philadelphia police department both find it to their advantage. I really don’t know more than this—asking the officer in question directly would probably get more useful information. He can be reached at: [EMAIL PROTECTED], or 215 243 0555, extension 241. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of KAREN ALLENSent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 9:58 PMTo: 'University City List'Subject: RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to? The card was not for a Lieutenant of the University of Pennsylvania Police department. It was for a Lieutenant of the PHILADELPHIA Police Department. The PHILADELPHIA Police Department and its employees are not employees of Penn, the Penn Police, or of UCD. It is a governmental agency of the CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, wholly supported by and answerable to the citizens of Philadelphia and its elected representatives, and NOT to UCD. Having a UCD business card with the name of a ranking member of the PHILADELPHIA Police Department mentioned in small letters symbolically, if not actually, subjects the Lieutenant to the perception that he is nothing more than a subordinate of UCD and its administrators, and that UCD has authority in Philadelphia Police matters which supercedes that of the Lieutenant's actual employer, the citizens and elected representatives of the City of Philadelphia. Karen AllenFrom: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: UnivCity@list.purple.com Subject: RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to? Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:50:37 -0400 I'm a little startled at all the posters here for whom this information here seems to be new. I don't think much has changed in the way Penn's police force has worked in many years. Nothing I've read here differs from what I understood about their police force when I moved into the neighborhood about 35 years ago. Somehow, I can't read the wording on that card as some new sign of decline in democracy, but then I've always had a sunny disposition. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html. From: [EMAIL
Re: [UC] suitable for framing -- alternate method of delivery
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I posted a message with a good (scanned) attached copy of the infamous business card showing Lt John McCurdy of the Philadelphia Police Dept to be a flunky of UCD.The post didn't seem to get through. And, no, I won't assume it was a plot by the anointed to censor my contributions to the common weal. If anyone wants a copy emailed to them close-up-and-personal, so you can print it out in a form suitable for framing, or maybe use it as wallpaper on your computer, email me off-list and I'll reply with it. In the meantime, if anyone knows whether Lt John McCurdy has to salute Wendell Lewis, or if a hi, howzitgoing is enough, please advise. Al Krigman Left of Ivan Grozny PS: This offer is not available in stores. thanks, al. the wording on the card is interesting. here's a wallet-sized version: http://tinyurl.com/35wbgu and the plain text version: _ | .. | | .. | | .LOGO. university| | .. city district | | .. | | | | lt. john mccurdy | | city of philadelphia police department | | | | 3942 chestnut street philadelphia, pa 19104 | | phone 215 243 0667 x241 fax 215 243 0557 | | [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.ucityphila.org | |_| .. UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN [aka laserbeam®] [aka ray] SERIAL LIAR. CALL FOR RATES. It is very clear on this listserve who these people are. Ray has admitted being connected to this forger. -- Tony West Ray's falsehoods are more sophisticated, more believable -- Tony West __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Landlord meeting [was: Re: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to?
In a message dated 9/28/07 4:31:38 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: It is deceitful of UCD and demeaning to the Lieutenant to make it appear that the Lieutenant is subordinate to UCD administration, rather than being the Commander of a Philadelphia Police Substation that happens to be supplied by UCD. He is responsible to the Philadelphia Police chain of command, not to Lewis Wendell or UCD. It is a deliberate blurring of authority that further creates the impression that UCD is a governmental entity in and of itself, with authority over everything in this area, including the duly sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police Department. I'd like to add more information on the landlord meeting that Al Krigman (but not Karen Allen) attended on Wednesday morning. I was there also. I think that perhaps Al's information may have provided a somewhat skewed version of the proceedings and unnecessarily fanned the anti-UCD flames on the list. At any rate, there's no reason not to have more than one report, right? Just before the meeting began, Al helped himself to his hosts' bagel cream cheese breakfast, and kindly offered me some advice when I picked up two bite-sized muffins for myself: If you eat those, sweetheart, you'll get fat. UCD sent out the invitations to area landlords and provided space for the meeting. Lindsay Johnston of Common Ground Realtors chaired it, assisted by Penn's Off Campus Living Office Director Miki Farcas, who has organized periodic meetings for landlords who use OCL's services for many, many years. Her office doesn't have a conference room, so the meetings have always had to be held elsewhere. An agenda had been distributed in advance, and speakers talked about various topics, including: rental rates and trends in UC (Miki Farcas), crime and fire safety (Lt. McCurdy and others), the Rental Suitability Act (Marcia Nelson, City of Philadelphia, LI Dept.), UCD initiatives (Carolyn Hewson). Also, UCD's new director of Operations, Clean Safe, Dexter Bryant, was introduced. Perhaps that will be of more interest to the UC list than Lt. McCurdy's contact information. If anyone is interested, I can tell you a little more about him. Let me know. We all listened to the various speakers, asking questions and making comments as we chose, sometimes telling them something THEY didn't know! At the end, Lindsay asked if we'd like to have future meetings, and the consensus was that we would; the next one will be planned for January. Minutes from the meeting were delivered via email yesterday. Here's the section on Lt. McCurdy: Lt. John McCurdy of the Philadelphia Police Department introduced himself as a 22-year veteran of the PPD and explained the UCD sub-station co-located with UCD’s administrative offices. He distributed his business card and encouraged those present to contact him directly to report problems ([EMAIL PROTECTED], 215/387-3942), emphasizing that requests for immediate/emergency assistance should go to 911. He said that problems could be reported by phone, in writing, or by email. He distributed and discussed 15 tips to help apartment residents maintain a safe environment. He clarified that the UCD sub-station covers Powelton Village and extends west to 50th Street. The requirements for fire safety can conflict with those for security. For instance, LI does not permit deadbolts that require a key to operate because they are dangerous in case of fire. LI mandates that all rooms in which people sleep have egress through the windows, precluding the use of bars. Campus Apartments is using screens that increase security but which can be opened in the event of fire. Strollers and bicycles are often kept in hallways for security reasons, but this blocks or impedes passage in emergency situations. UCD staff offered to poll landlords to identify common issues such as bike storage to determine whether there might be vendors of products such as bike pods that could help ameliorate challenging issues. The police encourage the use of cameras for security, and rental insurance for tenants. PPD is aware of the recent upsurge in theft of architectural elements such as leaded glass from buildings and plain clothes burglary teams are deployed to address this and related concerns. Brass exterior connections are also being stolen for scrap metal. The police will perform safety audits at the request of landlords or tenants. Lt. McCurdy offered repeatedly to make himself available to help with problems that are not 911 issues. I don't think that anyone attending the meeting was confused about who he worked for or reported to. We only had questions about the territory. Landlord Bill Brown asked him if he handled problems in Powelton (he said yes), and I asked how far west he covers. He replied that he covers to 50th St. and beyond, since he works out of the 18th
RE: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
Agreed. I like the blocks, myself. I also like anything that slows traffic through the park---I'd be happy to have a stop sign midway through the curve, if nothing else. However, the issues that Brian raises in this letter of drainage and water runoff are more important--I don't know what the best mechanism is to get the several authorities to cooperate and do all of what is needed at once, but it is sure worth making some fuss about. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brian Siano Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 2:12 PM To: UC List; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave Actually, even _more_ context is needed, because the Belgian Block issue is, frankly, nowhere near as important as another. The section of water runoff/sewer under Chester Avenue, between 43rd and 45th streets, is in serious need of repair. It's clogged, routinely floods, and a great deal of the damage to the street above is directly attributable to the problems underground. SEPTA has not address this important problem _at all_: they'll be repairing track on a stretch of road that's prone to floods and erosion. (Also, in their construction proposal, there doesn't seem to be any provision to prevent construction spilloff into the Bowl.) The area hasn't been repaired because of the jurisdictional conflict: the road's a state road, so SEPTA handles that, but the water runoff is handled by the Philadelphia Water Dept., I believe. And there's also coordination needed with Streets, and Rec's in this too, as there's an impact on Clark Park. (The FoCP is also concerned about the pedestrian crossings and how well it'll all integrate with the water and path issues of our Park A project.) So while SEPTA hasn't consulted properly with the city on this project, we can take this opportunity to urge cooperation between state and city agencies, and get the sewer and street and trolley tracks repaired as they should be repaired. So, if you're going to write a letter to a city representative, I would _strongly_ urge everyone all to focus on the most important issue: getting SEPTA on board towards fixing the sewer line so the street doesn't flood and collapse. We're going to need a LOT of help on this issue. You can talk about Belgian Block all you want, but this is the main issue. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to?
Thanks for correcting my understanding, which was incorrect. I still find the tenor of this discussion perplexing. I really don't see the fact that the guy has a printed business card carrying a UCD logo, and identifying him (correctly) as a Philadelphia police officer-to be anything sinister or confusing. I know why AL is making this fuss, but I find the level of your ire about this somewhat unexpected-- You said: It is a deliberate blurring of authority that further creates the impression that UCD is a governmental entity in and of itself, with authority over everything in this area, including the duly sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police Department. I don't read it that way-I read the card as stating that he's a Philadelphia Police Officer (if it really mattered, I would want to see a badge anyway)-and that the UCD paid for printing the card, as well as providing the office space, phone, and email addresses. So-our viewpoints differ-I do see the UCD as helpful rather than controlling or taking over. When it comes to police activities, I'd agree that it is pretty important that the lines of authority be direct, and lead to the civil authorities, and not a private corporation. Have you had experiences in that specific area-police activity-that you see as examples of the UCD overstepping a boundary? From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of KAREN ALLEN Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 4:29 PM To: UnivCity listserv Subject: RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to? I believe that a number of members of Penn's police force are also Philadelphia police officers Those beliefs and suspicions are incorrect. Police officers cannot work for two different police departments at the same time. Penn Police and the Philadelphia Police are two separate police departments. They have overlapping jurisdictions insofar as the Penn Police patrol area falls within the Phila. Police Dept's 18th District. Sharing the same patrol area does not mean that the two departments are one and the same. The Lieutenant in question has one job title, that of being a Lieutenant of the Philadelphia Police Department. He is an Officer employed by the City of Philadelphia. He is detailed to a Philadelphia Police substation on premises donated by the University City District. This arrangement is similar to the former Police Substation at 50th and Baltimore donated by the then-operater of the Firehouse Farmer's Market [now Dock Street] and paid for by Cedar Park Neighbors, and the current Squirrel Hill Substation operated at 46th and Chester. Although private and community entities provided the money and premises in order for the substations to operate, no one dared suggest that doing so made the Police Officers detailed to those substations the employees or subordinates of those non-police entities. Being detailed to the substation donated by UCD does not make the Lieutenant an employee of the University City District, any more than being detailed to the sports complex would make him an employee of the Eagles or the Phillies. It is deceitful of UCD and demeaning to the Lieutenant to make it appear that the Lieutenant is subordinate to UCD administration, rather than being the Commander of a Philadelphia Police Substation that happens to be supplied by UCD. He is responsible to the Philadelphia Police chain of command, not to Lewis Wendell or UCD. It is a deliberate blurring of authority that further creates the impression that UCD is a governmental entity in and of itself, with authority over everything in this area, including the duly sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police Department. Karen Allen From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: univcity@list.purple.com Subject: RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to? Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:57:27 -0400 I believe that a number of members of Penn's police force are also Philadelphia police officers. I suspect that they are clear on the lines of authority, that card notwithstanding. Presumably the officer in question has two job titles, and chose the more impressive of the two to put on the card. I think this is a long standing arrangement, and presumably the University and the Philadelphia police department both find it to their advantage. I really don't know more than this-asking the officer in question directly would probably get more useful information. He can be reached at: [EMAIL PROTECTED], or 215 243 0555, extension 241. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of KAREN ALLEN Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 9:58 PM To: 'University City List' Subject: RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to? The card was not for a Lieutenant of the University of Pennsylvania Police department. It was for a Lieutenant of the PHILADELPHIA Police Department.
RE: Landlord meeting [was: Re: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to?
Thanks for a much more useful summary of the meeting than Al provided, even though you could have left some of that detail out. (as I recall, neither you nor Al are likely to be described as fat) From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 6:33 PM To: univcity@list.purple.com Subject: Landlord meeting [was: Re: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to? I'd like to add more information on the landlord meeting that Al Krigman (but not Karen Allen) attended on Wednesday morning. I was there also. I think that perhaps Al's information may have provided a somewhat skewed version of the proceedings and unnecessarily fanned the anti-UCD flames on the list. At any rate, there's no reason not to have more than one report, right? Just before the meeting began, Al helped himself to his hosts' bagel cream cheese breakfast, and kindly offered me some advice when I picked up two bite-sized muffins for myself: If you eat those, sweetheart, you'll get fat. UCD sent out the invitations to area landlords and provided space for the meeting. Lindsay Johnston of Common Ground Realtors chaired it, assisted by Penn's Off Campus Living Office Director Miki Farcas, who has organized periodic meetings for landlords who use OCL's services for many, many years. Her office doesn't have a conference room, so the meetings have always had to be held elsewhere. An agenda had been distributed in advance, and speakers talked about various topics, including: rental rates and trends in UC (Miki Farcas), crime and fire safety (Lt. McCurdy and others), the Rental Suitability Act (Marcia Nelson, City of Philadelphia, LI Dept.), UCD initiatives (Carolyn Hewson). Also, UCD's new director of Operations, Clean Safe, Dexter Bryant, was introduced. Perhaps that will be of more interest to the UC list than Lt. McCurdy's contact information. If anyone is interested, I can tell you a little more about him. Let me know. We all listened to the various speakers, asking questions and making comments as we chose, sometimes telling them something THEY didn't know! At the end, Lindsay asked if we'd like to have future meetings, and the consensus was that we would; the next one will be planned for January. Minutes from the meeting were delivered via email yesterday. Here's the section on Lt. McCurdy: Lt. John McCurdy of the Philadelphia Police Department introduced himself as a 22-year veteran of the PPD and explained the UCD sub-station co-located with UCD’s administrative offices. He distributed his business card and encouraged those present to contact him directly to report problems ([EMAIL PROTECTED], 215/387-3942), emphasizing that requests for immediate/emergency assistance should go to 911. He said that problems could be reported by phone, in writing, or by email. He distributed and discussed 15 tips to help apartment residents maintain a safe environment. He clarified that the UCD sub-station covers Powelton Village and extends west to 50th Street. The requirements for fire safety can conflict with those for security. For instance, LI does not permit deadbolts that require a key to operate because they are dangerous in case of fire. LI mandates that all rooms in which people sleep have egress through the windows, precluding the use of bars. Campus Apartments is using screens that increase security but which can be opened in the event of fire. Strollers and bicycles are often kept in hallways for security reasons, but this blocks or impedes passage in emergency situations. UCD staff offered to poll landlords to identify common issues such as bike storage to determine whether there might be vendors of products such as bike pods that could help ameliorate challenging issues. The police encourage the use of cameras for security, and rental insurance for tenants. PPD is aware of the recent upsurge in theft of architectural elements such as leaded glass from buildings and plain clothes burglary teams are deployed to address this and related concerns. Brass exterior connections are also being stolen for scrap metal. The police will perform safety audits at the request of landlords or tenants. Lt. McCurdy offered repeatedly to make himself available to help with problems that are not 911 issues. I don't think that anyone attending the meeting was confused about who he worked for or reported to. We only had questions about the territory. Landlord Bill Brown asked him if he handled problems in Powelton (he said yes), and I asked how far west he covers. He replied that he covers to 50th St. and beyond, since he works out of the 18th District at 55th Pine. So, the good news is that Lt. McCurdy is another resource we all have when we need help from the police. He didn't restrict his contact information to those present; he offered it to all. If
Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
I'd much rather ride on those Belgian blocks than on the miserable concrete Septa's contractors poured when they redid the trolley roadbed on Baltimore Avenue. There may be problems with some of the blocks, but mostly the problem is that the roadbed is at points in very bad condition. At 43th and Chester, for example, I always wonder if the roadbed is about to cave in. Al seems to confuse the condition of the roadbed with the condition of the Belgian blocks. Elliot On 28 Sep 2007, at 8:07 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Ms Jones: As a resident and business owner in West Philadelphia, I urge you to ignore the wailing of the people who value a few stretches of Belgian blocks -- many in a condition that the Historical Commission classifies as of low integrity anyway -- over the needs of the people of West Philadelphia. The blocks are hazards to safety when driving, as well as causes of damage to the springs and shock absorbers of automobiles that pass over them. More than this, as you know, SEPTA is in dire financial straits and owes it to the people who depend on public transit to upgrade its infrastructure in a manner that will minimize long-term maintenance costs. Preserving a stretch or two of Belgian blocks that is hardly a tourist attraction or a destination for middle- school field trips, notwithstanding Historical Commission designation as something (nobody ever heard of) called a Historic Pavement Thematic District, is too high a price to pay for the people who use the roads and -- especially -- the West Philadelphia trolleys. Alan Krigman KRF Management 211 S 45th St, Phila PA 19104 215-349-6500, fax 215-349-6502 on-line bulletin board: www.iconworldwide.com/krf/news website: www.iconworldwide.com/krf See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage. Elliot M. Stern 552 South 48th Street Philadelphia, PA 19143-2029 United States of America telephone: 215-747-6204 mobile: 267-240-8418 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
The Belgian blocks have functioned for many more years than the concrete on Baltimore Avenue will. The problem is not with the Belgian blocks, but with the roadbed. The stretch between 43rd and 45th Streets is particularly bad, because of underlying sewer problems, as Bruce Anderson has pointed out. SEPTA has up to now avoided working on the Belgian block stretch of Chester Avenue, because it has been whining about the cost of careful removal and replacement of a superior road surface, ever since historical designation. Elliot P.S. I've always enjoyed bicycling on well mainted Belgian block road surfaces. On 28 Sep 2007, at 12:31 PM, Mariellen Smith wrote: You are so right. Those blocks are the worst. They are awful to drive on, difficult to bike on, and even sort of annoying to walk on. I don't care if they are 'historic looking' or 'charming' or whatever. They are barely functional. There is a reason that they stopped paving streets with them oh so many years ago. It's time to rip them out, pave it over, and move into the 21st Century. I hate SEPTA as much as the next person, and as a resident of Chester Ave., I am inconvenienced and annoyed by this project. However, if it will get rid of those hateful blocks, I will have something positive to cling to when this project turns into a fiasco of poor planning and low expectations, just like everything else that SEPTA touches. -Mariellen At 08:07 AM 9/28/2007, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Ms Jones: As a resident and business owner in West Philadelphia, I urge you to ignore the wailing of the people who value a few stretches of Belgian blocks -- many in a condition that the Historical Commission classifies as of low integrity anyway -- over the needs of the people of West Philadelphia. The blocks are hazards to safety when driving, as well as causes of damage to the springs and shock absorbers of automobiles that pass over them. More than this, as you know, SEPTA is in dire financial straits and owes it to the people who depend on public transit to upgrade its infrastructure in a manner that will minimize long-term maintenance costs. Preserving a stretch or two of Belgian blocks that is hardly a tourist attraction or a destination for middle-school field trips, notwithstanding Historical Commission designation as something (nobody ever heard of) called a Historic Pavement Thematic District, is too high a price to pay for the people who use the roads and -- especially -- the West Philadelphia trolleys. Alan Krigman KRF Management 211 S 45th St, Phila PA 19104 215-349-6500, fax 215-349-6502 on-line bulletin board: www.iconworldwide.com/krf/news website: www.iconworldwide.com/krf See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage. Elliot M. Stern 552 South 48th Street Philadelphia, PA 19143-2029 United States of America telephone: 215-747-6204 mobile: 267-240-8418 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave
Please Al.?? Loree Jones is not in the Streets Department.? She's the Managing Director.? And would someone explain why people are e-mailing her, as if she can tell SEPTA what to do? Paul (don't say it) -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: UnivCity@list.purple.com Sent: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 1:04 pm Subject: Re: [UC] Belgian Blocks on Chester Ave If anyone wants to email Ms Jones at the Streets Dept (supporting SEPTA or the Belgian Block preservation effort), the link posted in the original announcement was wrong. It should be [EMAIL PROTECTED] ? ? ? Always at your service ready for a dialog, Al Krigman -- 36-year local resident, housing provider, curmudgeon, and all-around crank, See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage. Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - http://mail.aol.com
Re: Landlord meeting [was: Re: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to?
Melanie, Your minutes and Al's posts don't disclose whether Al or anyone else asked the Lt. why he was using a UCD card. Did anyone actually ask him or better yet, criticize him directly? Paul -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: univcity@list.purple.com Sent: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 6:32 pm Subject: Landlord meeting [was: Re: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to? In a message dated 9/28/07 4:31:38 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: It is deceitful of UCD and demeaning to the Lieutenant to make it appear that the Lieutenant is subordinate to UCD administration, rather than being the Commander of a Philadelphia Police Substation that happens to be supplied by UCD. He is responsible to the Philadelphia Police chain of command, not to Lewis Wendell or UCD. It is a deliberate blurring of authority that further creates the impression that UCD is a governmental entity in and of itself, with authority over everything in this area, including the duly sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police Department. I'd like to add more information on the landlord meeting that Al Krigman (but not Karen Allen) attended on Wednesday morning. I was there also. I think that perhaps Al's information may have provided a somewhat skewed version of the proceedings and unnecessarily fanned the anti-UCD flames on the list. At any rate, there's no reason not to have more than one report, right? Just before the meeting began, Al helped himself to his hosts' bagel cream cheese breakfast, and kindly offered me some advice when I picked up two bite-sized muffins for myself: If you eat those, sweetheart, you'll get fat. UCD sent out the invitations to area landlords and provided space for the meeting. Lindsay Johnston of Common Ground Realtors chaired it, assisted by Penn's Off Campus Living Office Director Miki Farcas, who has organized periodic meetings for landlords who use OCL's services for many, many years. Her office doesn't have a conference room, so the meetings have always had to be held elsewhere. An agenda had been distributed in advance, and speakers talked about various topics, including: rental rates and trends in UC (Miki Farcas), crime and fire safety (Lt. McCurdy and others), the Rental Suitability Act (Marcia Nelson, City of Philadelphia, LI Dept.), UCD initiatives (Carolyn Hewson). Also, UCD's new director of Operations, Clean Safe, Dexter Bryant, was introduced. Perhaps that will be of more interest to the UC list than Lt. McCurdy's contact information. If anyone is interested, I can tell you a little more about him. Let me know. We all listened to the various speakers, asking questions and making comments as we chose, sometimes telling them something THEY didn't know! At the end, Lindsay asked if we'd like to have future meetings, and the consensus was that we would; the next one will be planned for January. Minutes from the meeting were delivered via email yesterday. Here's the section on Lt. McCurdy: Lt. John McCurdy of the Philadelphia Police Department introduced himself as a 22-year veteran of the PPD and explained the UCD sub-station co-located with UCD’s administrative offices. He distributed his business card and encouraged those present to contact him directly to report problems ([EMAIL PROTECTED], 215/387-3942), emphasizing that requests for immediate/emergency assistance should go to 911. He said that problems could be reported by phone, in writing, or by email. He distributed and discussed 15 tips to help apartment residents maintain a safe environment. He clarified that the UCD sub-station covers Powelton Village and extends west to 50th Street. The requirements for fire safety can conflict with those for security. For instance, LI does not permit deadbolts that require a key to operate because they are dangerous in case of fire. LI mandates that all rooms in which people sleep have egress through the windows, precluding the use of bars. Campus Apartments is using screens that increase security but which can be opened in the event of fire. Strollers and bicycles are often kept in hallways for security reasons, but this blocks or impedes passage in emergency situations. UCD staff offered to poll landlords to identify common issues such as bike storage to determine whether there might be vendors of products such as bike pods that could help ameliorate challenging issues. The police encourage the use of cameras for security, and rental insurance for tenants. PPD is aware of the recent upsurge in theft of architectural elements such as leaded glass from buildings and plain clothes burglary teams are deployed to address this and related concerns. Brass exterior connections are also being stolen for scrap metal. The police will perform safety audits at the request of landlords or tenants. Lt. McCurdy
RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to?
As you said, it is important that the lines of police authority be direct, and lead to the civil authorities, and not a private corporation. But that's the impression that business card creates. That card created the impression that a ranking Philadelphia Police Officer, a person with the power to enforce the full range of governmental police powers, was himself subordinate to a private entity that is not answerable to the public. It also created the impression that that entity was itself so powerful that it had its own police powers via the officer. With public authority, the citizens have the right to vote for those people who exercise it, to have oversight of those actions, and to have myriad controls in place to assure that actions taken are reflective of the wishes of a majority of citizens. People who have issues with the Police Department have recourse through the elected government. That is the problem with UCD: it is a private entity that has taken on governmental functions, but who is it answerable to? This past year, they wanted the power to tax, the ultimate government power. But who elected those who made the crucial decisions that governed that proposal? How were those slated to be taxed represented in ithe creation of the proposal? Which members of the public elected the UCD administration? How do we remove or replace their administration if we the public deem them to be unresponsive to our needs? They do what many think are good deeds, but what exernal controls exist to make sure that what they do are of actual benefit to the many, and what does the public do if not? RE: I really don’t see the fact that the guy has a printed business card carrying a UCD logo, and identifying him (correctly) as a Philadelphia police officer—to be anything sinister or confusing. You may say what's the big deal? It was just a business card, and UCD paid for the cards. Think of it this way: would your impression be different if the names and logos of a Wachovia or a Citizens Bank appeared on that card? Karen Allen From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to?Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 20:56:09 -0400 Thanks for correcting my understanding, which was incorrect. I still find the tenor of this discussion perplexing.I know why AL is making this fuss, but I find the level of your ire about this somewhat unexpected-- You said: “It is a deliberate blurring of authority that further creates the impression that UCD is a governmental entity in and of itself, with authority over everything in this area, including the duly sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police Department.” I don’t read it that way—I read the card as stating that he’s a Philadelphia Police Officer (if it really mattered, I would want to see a badge anyway)—and that the UCD paid for printing the card, as well as providing the office space, phone, and email addresses. So—our viewpoints differ—I do see the UCD as “helpful” rather than “controlling” or “taking over.” When it comes to police activities, I’d agree that it is pretty important that the lines of authority be direct, and lead to the civil authorities, and not a private corporation. Have you had experiences in that specific area—police activity—that you see as examples of the UCD overstepping a boundary? From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of KAREN ALLENSent: Friday, September 28, 2007 4:29 PMTo: UnivCity listservSubject: RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police report to? I believe that a number of members of Penn’s police force are also Philadelphia police officers Those beliefs and suspicions are incorrect. Police officers cannot work for two different police departments at the same time. Penn Police and the Philadelphia Police are two separate police departments. They have overlapping jurisdictions insofar as the Penn Police patrol area falls within the Phila. Police Dept's 18th District. Sharing the same patrol area does not mean that the two departments are one and the same. The Lieutenant in question has one job title, that of being a Lieutenant of the Philadelphia Police Department. He is an Officer employed by the City of Philadelphia. He is detailed to a Philadelphia Police substation on premises donated by the University City District. This arrangement is similar to the former Police Substation at 50th and Baltimore donated by the then-operater of the Firehouse Farmer's Market [now Dock Street] and paid for by Cedar Park Neighbors, and the current Squirrel Hill Substation operated at 46th and Chester. Although private and community entities provided the money and premises in order for the substations to operate, no one dared suggest that doing so made the Police Officers detailed to those substations the employees or subordinates of those
